Misunderstanding Regarding Benefits of Creating Buddha Images

The benefits of creating Buddha images can be found in Vattangulirāja-jātaka which shares the creation of The Buddha image from sandalwood by King Pasenadi of Kosala that “Once upon a time The Perfectly Enlightened One journeyed from Sāvatthī to a distant place to share The Teachings. At that time King Pasenadi of Kosala surrounded by a great number of people, went to the great monastery in Jetavana. Not seeing The Perfectly Enlightened One, the King was filled with disappointment and saying, ‘this world without The Perfectly Enlightened One is without a refuge and without a protector’.

Once he returned home he thought of making an image of The Buddha. When The Buddha returned to Jetavana, having worshipped the Master the King asked The Buddha if he will allow an image of himself to be made and The Buddha gave permission to the King. When The Buddha image was completed he invited The Buddha to see the image and asked what would be the benefits of creating a Buddha image. The Buddha then told the benefits that whoever creates a Buddha image, whether a man or a woman, whether made of clay or of rocks, made of metal or copper, made of wood or zinc, made of precious stone or silver or gold, they produce great merit. As long as there is a Buddha image, this world will not be empty. The Buddha image helps prolong The Teachings and practices.

Those who build Buddha image will encounter happiness and all their wishes will be granted. The Buddha while still unawakened, not yet fully Enlightened, repaired the broken finger of a Buddha image.

The benefits he gained were achieving a heavenly rebirth and passing away from the heavenly realm entered into a powerful Kingship, he was able to defeat an army merely by lifting and bending his finger: Then The Buddha narrated an incident from one of his previous lives as King Vațtanguli who was able to defeat an army merely by lifting and bending his finger”.

…Out of fifty tales in the Paññasa-jātaka, Vațtangulīrā-jajātaka is the twentieth Jātaka. However, the period, the composer and the place of the composition is still unclear. Some of the accepted evidence has now become uncertain because new contradicted evidence has been found...

The accepted opinion is composed by HRH Prince Damrong Rajanubhab in the preface of the first publication of Paññasajātaka that:

“The book of Paññasajātaka consists of fifty ancient tales told in Thailand. A Monk from Chiang Mai compiled and composed the tales in Magadhi language in around 1457-1657 CE, which was the period when Monks in this country studied from Sri Lanka and were fluent in Magadhi language. They published books in Magadhi language in their hometown by explaining and elaborating the teachings, like the Monks in Sri Lanka.” HRH Prince Damrong Rajanubhab also spoke about this book that:

“…Originally the book of Paññasajātaka comprised of fifty palm leaf manuscripts tied together. Today can only be seen in Thailand, Luang Prabang and Cambodia, other than that they cannot be found. It has been told that the book was once found in Burma (Myanmar), they called it Chiang Mai Paññasa. However, one of the Kings in Burma (Myanmar) said that the book is counterfeited Words of The Buddha and ordered for them to be burned. Thus, the Paññasajātaka can no longer be found in Burma (Myanmar)..”

The tales in Paññasajātaka are well known in Thailand for example Samudaghosa tale, Sudhana-Manohara tale, Sang Thong tale, Rathasena tale and Gavi tale…”

References:

H.R.H. Prince Damrong Rajanubhab. (1924) "Explanation" in Paññasajaātaka Part 2 Bangkok: Sophonphiphatthanakorn Publication (Printed for the funeral of M.J.Y. Prompraopan T.C. 15 December 1924)

Phramaha Tanin Aditvaro (2003). Paññasajātaka Chapter 3-27: Review and Analytical Study Thesis for M.A. Program in Pāli, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University

Niyada Laosunthon. Paññasajātaka: Its Genesis and Significance to Thai Poetical Works Krung Thep: Maekamphang, Referred in Phramaha Preecha Mahosatho (1998)

The Influence of Pāli Literature of Paññasajātaka to Thai Society Thesis for M.A. Program in Buddhism, Mahachulalongkorn Rajavidyalaya University

Phramaha Preecha Mahosatho (1998) The Influence of Pāli Literature of Paññasajātaka to Thai Society Thesis for M.A. Program in Buddhism, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University

Anne M. Blackburn, Jeffrey Samuels, Editors Approaching The Teachings: Buddhist Texts and Practices in South and Southeast Asia BPS Pariyatti Editions, Onalaska, WA USA

These newly developed literature that are supposed to be the discourses from The Buddha on the benefits of creating a Buddha image are in conflict with what The Buddha has stated, spoken, and prescribed prior to his Final Enlightenment (i.e. death) to allow The Teachings that he shared to be the Teacher.

He also shared to reside with ourselves and with The Teachings as our refuge and with no others. Additionally, he shared the harm of explaining what has not been stated, spoken, and prescribed by The Tathāgata as having been stated, spoken, and prescribed by him. Those are acting for the unhappiness of many people, for the ruin, they generate much unwholesome Kamma and cause the good Teachings to disappear.

There are no creditable sources of The Buddha describing the creation of Buddha images as being beneficial in any way, but instead, The Buddha spent forty-five (45) years of his life dedicated to sharing The Teachings on The Path to Enlightenment that lead to liberation of the mind through learning, reflecting, and practicing The Teachings to train the mind, liberating it from discontent feelings. The mind is liberated through wisdom and an image of The Buddha alone will not create wisdom in the mind improving one’s wisdom, moral conduct, and mental discipline to attain Enlightenment.

Furthermore, this newly developed story shares that The Buddha said, “Those who build Buddha image will encounter happiness and all their wishes will be granted”. There is never a time in The Words of The Buddha from the most complete and reliable source, The Pāli Canon, where The Buddha spoke of anything that would involve declaring a wish and granting a wish for happiness. Instead, The Buddha taught The Path to Enlightenment as the way forward that leads to the elimination of discontentedness which a highlight of his Teachings is to acquire wisdom through learning, reflecting, and practicing his Teachings.

There is no ability to wish for happiness or wish for the elimination of suffering. Rather, it is through training the mind that one will eliminate 100% of all discontent feelings and the suffering they cause. The mere creation of a Buddha image to “encounter happiness and all their wishes will be granted” is completely opposite of all that The Buddha taught as The Path to Enlightenment.

The creation of Buddha images was not taught by The Buddha. He never taught to worship him or a statue of him. In contrast, he taught to learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings through determination, dedication, and diligence to train the mind.

One cannot have a wish granted. Who would grant the wish?

If you would like to test this out for yourself, make a wish right now and see if it comes true. Did it come true? “No”?

Now you have your proof, it is not possible to make a wish and have it granted, therefore, this newly developed literature is not an accurate representation of The Words of The Buddha or The Teachings that lead to Enlightenment. The Buddha never taught to make statues of him, that his spirit resides in the statue, to pray to a statue, or to worship a statue. There is no benefit in doing so and there are no beneficial results towards the attainment of Enlightenment that would be experienced from doing so.

In fact, doing so would be to have “wrong view” and continue to allow the fetter/taint/pollution of mind described as “wrong behavior and observances” to exist in the mind.

Wrong behavior and observances (The mind’s belief that rites, rituals, ceremonies, and worship will help a Practitioner to attain Enlightenment.)

Gotama Buddha Statues: Every statue of Gotama Buddha looks very different depending on what culture has created the statue. China, Tibet, Thailand, Sri Lanka and other cultures all have Buddha statues but they all look different.

What you will notice is that each culture casts statues of Gotama Buddha based on local tradition and local appearances from within the culture that casts the statues. Statues in Thailand look very Thai while Chinese statues look very Chinese, and so forth. None of these statues resemble the description of Gotama Buddha in his Teachings. (See “Image of Gotama Buddha” at the end of this Chapter.)

People cast statues based on their culture’s appearance due to the affection that people have for Gotama Buddha in that each culture would like Gotama Buddha to look as close to them as possible.

It is a form of craving or mental attachment to Gotama Buddha and having a craving or desire for Gotama Buddha to be from the culture that made the statue.

Keep in mind, we should not allow the mind to crave/attach or worship any image or statue of Gotama Buddha. Gotama Buddha taught us to learn and practice his Teachings so that we can attain the results which is Enlightenment. He was not interested in teaching us to attach to his image or worship him as he knew it would lead to discontentedness of mind and not to Enlightenment. Any and all forms of attachment will cause a discontent mind.

Some people believe the spirit of Gotama Buddha resides in the statues and they can be found praying to the statue (i.e. Gotama Buddha’s spirit) asking for benefits. Gotama Buddha never taught to create statues of him or that his spirit resides in any statue. In fact, he never taught whether a spirit or soul exists or does not exist. He left this as an undeclared Teaching.

The highest form of respect you can give to a Teacher is to practice their Teachings.

Merely, worshiping Gotama Buddha’s image will not produce Enlightenment, thus, he did not teach us this practice. He only ever taught us Teachings that lead to Enlightenment, and worship of a statue does not produce Enlightenment.